Paying for Peer Review: Should or Should Not?

The publication of research articles faces several challenges, encompassing biased evaluations, inadequate reviewer acknowledgement, and difficulties in identifying suitable reviewers. The soaring expenses associated with article processing charges in open-access journals have intensified researchers’ concerns. To address these issues, researchers are contemplating compensating peer reviewers as a potential solution, which in turn will also expand the potential pool of reviewers. This approach holds promise in fostering motivation, efficiency, and overall review quality. However, critics raise concerns about financial incentives compromising review integrity, potentially leading to biased evaluations. Considering both sides of the coin, it won’t be wrong if high article processing charge journals consider implementing payment for peer review while carefully balancing the associated benefits and potential drawbacks. Such a measure holds the capacity to greatly improve the publishing ecosystem, fostering an exceptional and fair process for sharing research.